This week we’re doing something different as well. Instead of covering the news (there wasn’t a lot) we’re just going to do a “starter kit” on progressive power metal (despite my objections)! Basically, why anyone would want to listen to the genre (no idea) and if so, what bands should they start with (none of them)? Eden and I both discuss some classics. Names mentioned include Blind Guardian, Angra, Therion, Pagan’s Mind, Kamelot, Teramaze and Fractal Cypher. Then, we do an in-depth spoiler discussion on the excellent Blade Runner 2049. Enjoy!

Due to the way we’ve decided to divide up the time zones, correspondence with an international audience from the humble southern continent of Australia often feels akin to looking into the past. Yet, despite this perceived futurism, Australian culture often trails its American and European counterparts by some distance. So it is that, while the northern thrash revival has come and (more-or-less) gone, the Australian metal scene is currently experiencing the biggest genre boom it has undergone since thrash metal originally emerged in the mid ‘80s. Back then, we brought our own quality acts to the fold, most notably in the form(s) of Mortal Sin and Hobbs Angel of Death, and the Allegiance in the ’90s. Yet, while the style had effectively remained dormant since then, the last five-to-ten years have seen an explosion in the amount of world-class thrash metal bands to have emerged from these southern shores.

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

For Fans Of is a column that takes one very well-known and popular band that our writers and readers are fans of, and then our staff write about a small group of lesser-known bands that do similar things and who we think you all might like as well and give a listen to.…

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again here: there is simply too much good music available these days. Far too much for any single human to seriously consume it all in any significant way and form meaningful opinions on it. In that sense, these kinds of end-of-year lists…

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

Happy Monday, everyone! It seems that at least once or twice a week I get emails asking me to cover bands for the website, or pointing out up and coming new bands. Only a handful of those recommendations really seem to stick with me, and it’s probably for the best;…